1. Field
The present invention pertains generally to the field of telephonic communications, and more specifically to providing an efficient method and apparatus for allowing a transparent service option transition between at least two communication devices.
2. Background
The field of wireless communications comprises many applications including cordless telephones, pagers, terrestrial wireless communication systems, and satellite communication systems. The use of terrestrial communication systems have become commonplace as consumers worldwide enjoy the benefits of inexpensive mobile communications.
Cellular telephony has evolved over the years, starting with an analog modulation scheme commonly referred to as AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System). Introduced by AT&T in 1983, AMPS became the most widely deployed cellular system in the United States.
Digital modulation schemes soon followed. Examples of such modulation schemes include the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Digital communication systems offer advantages over the AMPS system, including a higher degree of voice quality.
Along with digital telephones, wireless data communications have become increasingly important. With the success of the Internet, there has been a need to provide mobile users the ability to send and receive digital data communications. Today, the aforementioned digital communication systems offer various techniques for allowing data communications to take place. For example, it is now commonplace for wireless telephones to receive stock quotes, email, and news articles.
In an extension of data communications, techniques are now available for converting audio information, such as human speech, into data packets suitable for transmission over a data network, such as the Internet. The audio information may be converted into data packets and transmitted over the air using a data service offered by a wireless service provider. The data service is often in addition to standard voice service typically offered by service providers. This kind of voice-over-data service can be useful for such applications as providing encrypted voice service for the military, for example.
In a communication system that provides both voice and data services, it would be desirable to allow users to transition between voice communications and data communications while users are actively engaged in a communication. For example, it would be advantageous for two users engaged in a standard voice telephone call to transition to a data service option that supports a secure mode of voice or data communications.